Flood faces job-share at Tigers

Fifty-cap England fly-half Toby Flood has been warned that he may have to accept a job-share arrangement with rising star George Ford when Leicester's Aviva Premiership campaign opens on Sunday.

Flood regained the England number 10 jersey during the summer but, as Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill reminded him, nothing is guaranteed at Welford Road. Ford, a member of the England Saxons squad, spent his summer in the gym and the 19-year-old is now in a position to compete with Flood to be Leicester's first-choice fly-half.

Cockerill believes both men are good enough to be in the senior England squad - but only one can start for the Tigers. "At Leicester in particular, nobody's spot is guaranteed," Cockerill said.

"We have seen in the past that guys have been left out of the side, when on paper you would have picked them.

"Toby reacts to it very well. He knows that he needs to play very well to be in the side because he wants to play for England.

"George Ford is younger but he is a very good player too. I am hoping he will kick on and be really good for us. Toby the same. Both need to play for us. We want to keep them both long term.

"Like we have with (tight-head props) Dan Cole and Martin Castrogiovanni. They are both playing Test matches, they are both playing for their club.

"They understand that not playing every week is beneficial. The difficulty is if they are both playing well. It is a great headache to have, two really good fly-halves."